Health & Wellbeing Course

Meditation and Mindfulness for Health and Wellbeing8 week courses based in the Winchester area of Hampshire

This course is for those wanting to experience the benefits of a mindfulness and meditation practice in their daily lives. No prior knowledge or experience is required.

On this course you will be introduced to mindfulness and meditation practices taken from the Zen tradition. These include four different meditations and mindful movement exercises.

Over the 8 weekly sessions you will learn how these techniques can help you to:

Cope with stress & build resilience for the future

Heal emotional pain

Alleviate depression and anxiety

Deal with physical pain

Elevate the functioning of body and mind

Live in the moment and find more enjoyment in life

During the course we will cover some of the scientific research which confirms the benefits of meditation and mindfulness.

This course is suitable for those who have never practiced meditation or mindfulness before. Please note a commitment of 20-30 minutes daily home practice is recommended for this course to be most beneficial.

Please see the case study below for a student’s experience of the course in her own words. More student feedback can be found on the Testimonials page.

Upcoming Health and Wellbeing Courses

There are no courses scheduled at the moment as I am currently taking a break from teaching.

This course has been developed by Zenways (www.zenways.org) and contains practices from the Zen tradition. No belief or religious background is required for the course. Rather, this course will encourage you to draw on personal experience and practice.

One to One coaching

For a more personalised experience, this course can be taught on a one to one basis in your home or in another chosen setting. Please contact me for further details.

A One to One Student’s Feedback…

How do you feel about the tuition?
I was very apprehensive at first – I didn’t know what to expect, but I was very grateful Kate offered me the one-to-one option. Very quickly Kate put me at ease and straight away I found myself being immersed in the theory and practice of mindfulness, her method of teaching, calming presence, patience and warm, gentle manner meant after the first session I felt like I had definitely made the right decision. As the course continued, I looked forward to our sessions and watching the positive change it was starting to have on me.

How do you feel about embarking on your ongoing practice?
I feel positive and excited about continuing my practice moving forwards – and seeing the how the practice continues to make me a happier, more resilient and calmer person! I see it as such an important part of my day now – and hate missing a session. I almost feel a calmness descend when I’m meditating now, and am looking forward to incorporating more mindful walking, activities and exercise into my life as well as the meditation.

How do you feel about the cost of the course?
You can’t put a price on your mental health, and I saw the course as an investment into this – it was worth every penny, and was incredible value for money with the difference it has made to my life.

How was the course different from what you expected?
I guess I was skeptical whether mindfulness and meditation could actually work – I was at a point where I was desperate and knew I was on the cusp of sinking into a deep depression, and I’d tried everything else. I didn’t know what to expect – but I didn’t expect to feel so enlightened by the whole experience. I loved the whole theory part too, and how mindfulness can be applied to so many areas of your life.

What advice would you give someone contemplating attending a course on mindfulness and meditation with Mandala Living?
I would say, don’t hesitate – if like I was, you’re looking for inner peace, and struggling with depression and a sense of hopelessness, I cannot recommend it highly enough to help you on the path to getting better. I was dedicated to the mindfulness and meditation and believe that full engagement is the reason it’s had such a positive effect on my life. Kate is a truly wonderful teacher and advocate which makes you realise how powerful mindfulness can be – and how learning to live in the moment is key to finding happiness within yourself.

Student Case Study

Caroline is a 39 year old mother to three and step-mum to one. She works as a Learning Support Assistant at a primary school and attended the Mindfulness and Meditation course for Health and Wellbeing in Colden Common in January 2017.

What first made you want to start a mindfulness and meditation course?
I had suffered with Depression since I was diagnosed with Post Natal Depression after the birth of my 3rd child in 2010 and despite some ups and downs, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would always ‘manage’ the condition and that cure was not an option. As such I was having a particular downtime at the end of 2016 and felt a little ‘lost’. After attending a two-hour taster with my sister at a local health practitioners, I felt that mindfulness and meditation might be able to help me, although at the time I wasn’t sure just how much. After experiencing a bereavement I had what I can only describe as a ‘spiritual experience’ which literally pushed me in the direction of Mandala Living.

Why did you pick this course in particular?
The taster I had attended was not near where I lived, I wanted something close by and I’d seen Mandala Living recommended by other people on ‘We are Winchester.’ The times suited me and I also thought the cost was really good value. When I called Kate to book the course, I knew the instant I heard her voice that she was the right teacher for me.

How would you describe where you were in your life before you started the course?
I was unhappy after relocating from overseas and was feeling unfulfilled although I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why I felt this way, I just knew something had to change within me. I was also suffering with some physical pain in my neck and back.

How did you find the course?
I was nervous to begin with because I wasn’t sure what to expect but very quickly Kate put me at ease and my nerves dissipated. I found the course enlightening and enjoying the educational side of it as well as the practical side. I also really enjoyed the interaction with others and enjoyed learning from them.

How was it different to what you expected?
I hadn’t anticipated learning so much about why mindfulness and meditation really work. Because I signed up to the course physically and emotionally I could really engage with it and saw the effects at first hand.

For the duration of the course you are asked to practice daily at home including a meditation and some supplementary exercises – did you find this easy to do?
I saw the course as an investment in my mental health and because of this I felt it was so important to do the daily home practice. Even on a busy day I made time, even if it meant a shorter meditation session.

Did you feel you were given adequate support and encouragement?
Kate made it clear that she was available if I ever needed her support which was great, she has such a calm way about her I knew that if I had any questions or concerns, she would answer them as a priority.

How quickly did you feel the course have an effect on you?
I really felt that from week three, the course and daily practices were having a really positive effect upon me. I felt calmer, happier and more resilient. I was able view situations from a different perspective which helped me at home and work. By week eight I felt like a completely different person who had started the course!

At the end of the course, how do you feel the course affected you mentally and physically?
I feel like I have undergone an immense change. Physically I am in great condition, I have been able to push my limits with my cycling and running and am reaching distances I didn’t think were possible a year ago. Mentally, I can actually feel that my brain has been rewired! I view situations differently and in turn also react different to how I would have done before. Most dramatically, I believe that my depression has been cured – this is something I never, ever thought I would be able to say. I am so much more happy and feel resilient. For the first time in years I feel that I have direction but I also know that I am armed with tools to deal with difficult situations that I may face in the future.
The other thing I have found incredible is my awareness of nature and sounds. I am hard of hearing but I hear the birds sing where before I would have to strain to do so – this brings so much joy to me. I feel like I am living life in High Definition!

Did you see any affects in your life and relationships?
The most fundamental change in my family life has been how much calmer I am with my children. I actually enjoy things that I would previously found stressful, like bath and bedtimes, and cherish the time. In turn, my children are happier!
The course has also been instrumental in helping me reassess what I want in a career and as such I have decided to take a different path to the one I was following. I started some education for my new career as a Life Coach and I couldn’t be happier about it!

Would you recommend the course?
I would absolutely recommend the course to anyone considering joining, and do so regularly.

What advice would you have for someone contemplating attending the course?
If you allow it, mindfulness and meditation can have an enormously positive effect upon your life, but I believe that you will really reap the rewards if you fully engage with it. The weekly meet-up is only one part of what you’re signing up to. Kate is giving you the opportunity to open the door to an incredible world of colour, sounds, taste and self-awareness – something that you won’t even realise you were missing. If you practise daily, you will find the inner happiness and peace that you truly deserve much more quickly.